Internships in Nashville, Tennessee

Standing out as one of the most important centers in the world for country and other forms of musical expression, Nashville have drawn creative types for generations. This metropolitan area of over 1.5 million people is also the capital of the state of Tennessee, making it an excellent place to seek out a placement in the civil service.

Nashville is also a national leader in the health care industry, with 200,000 positions and $30 billion dollars of revenue being contributed by this segment of the economy on an annual basis. Let's explore the virtues of this vibrant center below...

What’s Nashville like?

Nashville sits in the basin of the Cumberland River valley, with downtown areas along the waterfront being the lowest point in the city at 385 feet. With the rugged ranges of the Appalachians close by to the east, it makes cycling an athletic endeavor but not an unpopular one, as organizations like Walk/Bike Nashville have helped it safer and more accessible to ride a bike in Nashville in recent decades.

As for mass transit options, the city is served primarily by buses, with 56 routes serving the city and its suburbs with regular service and BRT-lite options.  The latter service operates along two routes (Gallatin and Murfreesboro) with half as many stops as the normal express route buses, making these two corridors excellent places to search for a house or apartment.

Another great spot find a nest is along Nashville's first heavy rail commuter line. Opened in 2006, the Music City Star is the first non-bus transit option in the region, and with popularity growing, the second line is presently under construction and five others are in planning stages.

While the weather in Central Tennessee can hardly be considered tropical in the winter, this portion of America often escapes the harshest parts of the season, with average high temperatures in January hanging around the mid 40's.

This isn't to say that snow lovers will have to do without snow, as the area receives six inches per winter, usually in January or February. All this dissipates quickly come March though, as one of America's longest spring seasons begins, with temperature averaging above 60 degrees for the month.

Autumns are similarly long and blissful, but it requires enduring muggy summers where the only relief are the frequent thunderstorms that pop up with the abundant moisture and heat that wells up from the Gulf of Mexico on a daily basis.

Nashville's status as a music hotbed means that all four major record labels have a presence here, as do countless smaller outfits. Additionally, Gibson Guitars used the power of a prime location to build its business into one of the foremost brands in its industry, cementing the area's musical economic pedigree.

As mentioned in the intro though, health care is Nashville largest industry, with the Hospital Corporation of America having its head offices here, and large facilities like Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Saint Thomas Health Services employing many thousands of medical staff.

What kinds of internships are available in Nashville?

Given the disruptive side-effects of the internet age, the music industry has not had the smoothest go of things in past decade, but for those bound and determined to make it happen, there are internships that can still be had in the biz. 

Of all the major labels in Nashville, Warner Music Group has the most visible program for those looking to learn the ropes in this highly competitive industry, as they look to train the next generation of sound engineers, publicists, and sales staff to help drive their brand forward well into the 21st industry.

Apart from the usual range of hospital floor internships, the Hospital Corporation of America offers an opportunity for students and recent grads looking to get into a career in IT, tax accounting, and biomedical engineering to get a firm foothold in the Nashville employment market.

How to find internships in Nashville

The music business has always been a tough nut to crack even at the best of times, as so many people perceive it as a fun industry in which to be involved. In truth, the workload is brutal, so even if you get past the throngs of applicants for the few available positions each summer, you'll need to demonstrate the work ethic that you'll be bringing to the office each day in your job search efforts.

If you are seeking a sound engineering internship, cleaning up and enhancing the recordings of local musician friends and submitting them to decision makers may improve your chances of being brought on, so pick up that phone and start calling your former bandmate friends that are still chasing the dream.

For those seeking to get on with the Hospital Corporation of America, be aware that this business is one of the world's largest health management companies.  As such, applying for a position here will require a great deal of tailoring when it comes to drafting your resume and cover letter, so find out what the pertinent keywords are for your desired internship, sprinkle them liberally within your copy, and tie it together with a compelling narrative that outlines why you are their next superstar intern.